Zachariah douglas morrow



' (No Model.) 2. D. MORROW, DeccL J. G. WIDENHAM, Administrator.

MATCH BOX. 7 -N0. 575,489. Patented Jan. 19. 1897.

Hi; asses UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ZAOHARIAH DOUGLAS MORROYV, OF FRANKLIN, ILLINOIS; J. O. \VIDENI-IAMADMINISTRATOR OF SAID MORROVV, DECEASED.

MATCH-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 575,489, dated January19, 1897.

Application filed March 2, 1896. Serial No. 581,504. (N 5 1,)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ZACHARIAH DOUGLAS MORROW, a resident of Franklin, inthe county of Morgan and State of Illinois, have 5 invented certain newand useful Improvements .in Match-Boxes; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap- IOpertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in match-boxes, the object of theinvention being to construct the box, with the exception of the cover,of a single piece of metal, to so I 5 construct and arrange the partsthat the matches can be readily removed therefrom, one at a time,withoutdanger of igniting them, and to provide simple and eflicient meanswhereby the box can be readily and quickly 2o filled with matches.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, ashereinafter set forth, and pointed 2 5 out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of a match-boxembodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a sectional view. Fig. 3 is a viewshowing the position of the lid or cover when the box is to be suppliedwith matches. A represents my improved match-box, and, comprises a back1, having an upwardly-extending portion 2, which may be out to form anornamental design, and provided with a 3 5 hole 3 for the reception of anail or peg whereby to hang the device against the wall, a front a andsides 5 5, all made of a single piece of metal, preferably sheet metal.The front and back of the box are bent toward each other, as at 6 7, soas to form a bottom for the box which shall be practically V-shaped incrosssection, and the depending portions of the sides 5 are cut inconformity with the V shape of the bottom of the box. The lower edges ofthe portions 6 7 are bent so as to form parallel flanges S 9, with anarrow channel 10 between them, into which the matches will drop insingle file. 6 7 of the bottom of the box are cut away or recessedbetween their ends to form finger holes or recesses 11 to enable theuser to read- The back and front portions ily withdraw the matches fromthe box. The rear portion 7 of the bottom of the box is slit atopposite. sides of the finger-hole to form spring tongues 12, whichnormally bear against the flange 8 of the front portion 6 and serve tonormally prevent the escape of matches from the box. From thisconstruction and arrangement of parts it will be seen that thebottommatches of the supply within the box will be normally disposedwithin the channel 10 above alluded to, the heads and butt-ends of thematches being disposed in said channel and the intermediate portionsbeing supported by the spring-tongues 12. 6 5 The user will now inserthis finger and thumb through the finger-holes and grasp a match, and,pulling it downwardly, will force the spring-tongues back and withdrawthe match from the box, the head of the match passing 7o freely throughthe open channel 10 between the flanges S 9 and thus prevented fromignition. It is evident that the spring-tongues could be made on thefront portion 6 instead of the rear portion 7.

The upper edges of the sides or ends of the box are bent laterally andslit at 13 to form two flanges 1-1 15 at each end or side of the box.

The lid or cover 16 of the box is made with a depending flange 17 toabut against the upper edge of the front of the box. The ends of the lidare made with bent flanges 18 19, the flanges 18 being adapted to engagethe flanges 14 at the respective ends of the box, and the flanges 19 ofthe lid being adapted to engage the flanges 15 of the box. The flanges14: are bent a little farther than the flanges 15 and form stops at 20against which the flanges 19 will abut when the lid shall have been slidpartially off. The flange 19 fits the flange 15 loosely, so that whenthe lid is slid partly off and the flange 19 is in engagement with thestop 20 the lid can be raised so as to assume a diagonal position, asshown in Fig. 3, with a space 22 between its rear edge and the back ofthe box. Matches can noiv be placed in large quantity upon the lid andthey will fall down the inclined lid and into the box. Thus I am enabledto supply the box with matches very quickly instead of'having to placethem in one at a time, as has been on the ends of said lid adapted toengage the flanges on the box, so that when the lid is par- 15 tiallyoff the box it can be inclined whereby to facilitate the insertion ofmatches into the box in quantity, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subserib- 2o ing witnesses. i

ZACHARL-Ul DOUGLAS MORROW.

Witnesses:

W. S. M RGAN, L. A. MANSFIELD.

